my %testHash = ( \@multiKey1, \@stuff1, \@multiKey2, \@stuff2, \@multiKey3, \@stuff3); @testHashKeys = keys %testHash; @testHashValues = values %testHash; $tmp = @testHashKeys; foreach (@testHashKeys){ print ref($_), ": "; print "deref bla = @$_ = $_\n"; } foreach (@testHashValues){ print ref($_), ": "; print "deref bla = @$_ = $_\n"; } __END__ Output: : deref bla = = ARRAY(0x98a9b4) : deref bla = = ARRAY(0x98a914) : deref bla = = ARRAY(0x98a844) ARRAY: deref bla = 6 7 = ARRAY(0x98aa04) ARRAY: deref bla = 4 5 = ARRAY(0x98a964) ARRAY: deref bla = 1 2 3 = ARRAY(0x3e8d8c)